Surviving Two Common Driving Emergencies

Driving emergencies can result in nasty accidents for motorists who don't know how to deal with them. Here are two common emergencies, and how to deal with them:

1. Tire Blowout

A tire blowout, especially at high speeds, can easily lead to loss of control of the car. This happens when the damaged tire losses traction and causes the car to swerve to one side. The key here is to remain in control of your wits. Specifically, you should take the following tips to remain in control of the car and stay safe:

Keep Your Hands Firmly on the Wheel

Your first reaction should be to have your hands firmly on the steering wheel and steady the car. this is necessary because the sudden change in movement may change the direction of steering; your job is not to let that happen.

Don't Brake, Accelerate

Your first instinct may be to brake, but that will only throw your car out of control. Instead, you need to accelerate to compensate for the drag introduced by the damaged tire. The drag is also the reason the car won't speed up; the acceleration only serves to steady the car.

Slow Down and Pull Off the Road

Once you have steadied the car, you can then brake (slowly), pull off the road, and park in a safe location.

2. Sudden Object on the Road

Another common road emergency is the appearance of a sudden object on the road. Examples include a car that brakes without warning, an animal that suddenly walks onto the road or an object that falls off the vehicle in front. Whatever it is, you will have to stop the car within a short distance. How to do this depends on whether your car has antilock braking systems (ABS) or not. Most vehicles manufactured from the year 2012 have ABS. here is a brief overview of what you should do in each case:

Vehicle Has ABS

You are in luck if your car has ABS because all you need to do is to stomp on the brake as hard as possible. Do this and the ABS system will do the rest of the job for you, the car will stop without further input from you. Just don't forget to center the steering wheel before releasing the brake; otherwise, you may hit another object by the roadside.

Vehicle Doesn't Have ABS

In this case, squeeze the brakes firmly; don't slam on it. Ease off slightly if you sense that the car is about to skid (if the wheels are about to lock up). As usual, you will have more success if you have practiced the move in nonemergency situations.

Hopefully, you won't ever get into a situation where you must engage in the tactics above. They are important, however, and can save your life and the lives of other road users. If you do hit another car, however, don't let your guilt trick you into admitting liability for the crash. In fact, you might find that you are the one who has a claim on the other motorist. Contact an attorney, such as Zavodnick, Perlmutter & Boccia LLC, in the event that you need an auto accident lawyer.